


and my heart aches (for you)

by lavenderlotion



Series: Mutant High [1]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Background Relationships, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Everyone Is Gay, Flirting, Kissing, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23856016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderlotion/pseuds/lavenderlotion
Summary: Logan was with him, finally, and nothing mattered more than the time they were getting to spend together.
Relationships: Logan (X-Men)/Hank McCoy
Series: Mutant High [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719094
Comments: 16
Kudos: 28





	and my heart aches (for you)

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU I’m apparently writing ???

Hank was working quietly on a set of algebra questions he hadn't gotten to the night before, studiously scribbling away in his notebook even as he yawned every few minutes, while his friend group chatted around him. Despite his fairly strict, self-imposed bedtime, Hank had stayed up almost all night, not even getting a full two hours of sleep before his alarm was going off. Getting out of bed that morning had been harder than it was every other morning, and he'd snoozed his alarm twice before finally accepting that if he didn't get up right then, he was going to be late for school.

He'd left the lump on his bed with a sad, reluctant acceptance, and had gotten ready for his day with much less enthusiasm than he usually held when it came to school—something he quite enjoyed, as he was rather fond of learning. The only thing that'd cheered him up had been snagging the too-big leather jacket off of his desk chair and wearing it over his usual button-down shirt, and every so often throughout the day he'd tuck his face into the collar and breathe in a scent he'd missed more than he had even realized.

And now, his lunch break, was the first time Hank had been able to pull out his algebra questions and work on them. This was one of the first times Hank hadn't finished his homework, and his friends had given him a few weird looks when he'd sat down for lunch with his binder and textbook. They hadn't said anything when he cracked open his textbook and started doing work, though, since him reading during their lunch wasn’t uncommon. Hank liked learning, and he liked self-learning, and he often read ahead through his textbooks out of curiosity's sake. 

When he was halfway through the work he needed to do, a slim, tan hand gently laid over his forearm.

“You okay, Hank?” Angel asked him quietly from where she was sitting beside him and leaning into her girlfriend's side.

Hank flashed her a smile and realized the whole table had gone quiet and was watching him. “Logan's home,” Hank told them with a shrug, ignoring the look that Alex and Janos shared. He wished he hadn't seen it in the first place, but if either one of those two were  _ anything, _ subtle wasn't it.

“How is he doing?” Charles asked him kindly, which Hank thanked by sending him a smile. Even if Charles thought the same things as the rest of them, he was at least nice about it.

“He's doing pretty good. He doesn't like being so far away, but he's already got an internship with a garage in the city so he can't transfer anywhere closer,” Hank explained, thinking back to that guilt-ridden admission Logan had spilled the night before.

Over the last few weeks, he and Logan had talked a bit about Logan transferring back, not realizing how hard it would be on both of them for him to be two states away. Hank didn't blame him; the school Logan was at was rated far higher than any of the schools in their state when it came to the mechanics program they offered, and he knew his boyfriend wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and own a garage of his own one day. If being a bit further away meant that he'd get to accomplish his dreams... Hank would suck it up and accept it for the time being.

But last night, Logan had crawled onto Hank's bed after they'd gotten ready for the night, and had buried his face in Hank's chest while he held him so tightly Hank could barely breathe as he admitted that he couldn't come home. His future was laying itself out before him and Logan was being presented with opportunities he just wouldn't have access to if he came home and Hank... well Hank had been in love with Logan since he was  _ four, _ there was no way he was going to be anything other than encouraging.

Encouraging and emotional, but since they'd  _ both _ started crying, Hank figured he couldn't be too embarrassed.

“That's a shame, Sugar,” Emma told him with a genuine pout, something that was almost a rarity from her. Emma was the only one of their whole friend group who knew Logan, but because she was a  _ bitch, _ she didn't say anything to the others even though she could have.

“Is that why you bought a leather jacket that's too big?” Alex asked him with a smile on his face that was teasing.

Hank knew the comment wasn't meant to hurt, but it still did.

Instead of answering him, Hank ducked his head and pulled his notebook closer, doing his best to focus back on his set of problems until the silence around him erupted back into a wordless stream of chatter that Hank was easily able to tune out after  _ years _ of practice. They'd all been friends for forever, and Hank had spent countless lunches tuning them out as he read or worked on something for fun. Just because it was his missed homework didn't make a difference, and he happily finished his set of questions before checking his watch. He still had time, so Hank flipped to the next page since it was undoubtedly going to be assigned to them that afternoon, and got a head start.

Hank heard someone say his name and hummed but didn't quite tune in.

“Hank!” Alex said louder, then tossed a fry at Hank's face. Hank watched the fry bounce off his glasses and then looked up while letting a growl rumble out of his throat, snappish after having so little sleep and not in the mood for Alex's bullshit. “Whoa, man! Chill with the growling.”

“Don't throw food at me,” Hank snapped back, brushing the fry off his textbook. “What do you want?”

“Alex was just going to see if you were still coming to Warren's party tonight, now that Logan's in town?” Charles asked with what Hank was sure he meant to be a soothing tone, always playing the mediator of the group. 

Hank tried to flash him a grateful look, because at least it meant he didn’t have to keep talking to Alex, before looking at the boy in question.

“Can I bring Logan along, War?” he asked quietly, focusing solely on Warren and ignoring the rest of their group.

“Don't see why not,” Warren told him with a shrug, adding, “Charles is bringing her sister and a few of her friends too.”

Hank smiled and thanked him. Warren was a douchebag with rich parents and serious father issues,  _ but _ he wasn't a dick like Alex. Focusing back on his textbook, Hank worked on completing as many questions of the next chapter as he could until lunch ended. He really didn’t want to have any homework that weekend, especially if he was going out tonight. 

* * *

Hank took a deep breath as he slumped back against his front door, kicking off his shoes and letting his bag drop to his side. A yawn cracked his jaw open, and Hank tiredly rubbed over his face.  _ God, _ he hadn't stayed up as late as he did last night—this morning, really—in... maybe forever. Scrubbing once more at his eyes, Hank lumbered into his kitchen to toss his lunch container into the sink to deal with later.

“Upstairs!” Logan's voice called through the house, and a smile pulled its way onto Hank's face despite the exhaustion weighing him down.

Just knowing that Logan was in the house was curbing the loneliness that has been clinging to Hank over the last few weeks. It was hard, so, so much harder than he'd thought it would be, to be separated from Logan. Logan was two years older and had always gone to a different school, which meant they'd never seen each other during the day like the other couples he knew. Hank had foolishly thought that the limited time they spent together would have prepared them for Logan moving away, but what Hank hadn't taken into account was the fact that Logan essentially lived with them to keep away from his dad.

Hell, they'd spent an entire summer essentially living together, and Hank thought he'd be fine when Logan left.

In reality, Logan being gone had been  _ terrible. _ So many of Hank's daily routines had revolved around Logan. Hank was still making enough scrambled eggs to feed them both some mornings, cracking five eggs before he was awake enough to remember he only needed two. On the nights when Hank was alone for dinner because his parents were out—which were more nights than not—he automatically made portions for two  _ plus  _ leftovers, because Logan liked taking them for lunches. 

Everything that Hank did revolved around Logan in some way, because for all intents, they'd lived together for longer than not.

Having to develop a new routine, one that included cooking for one and waking up alone, was hell. He knew that Logan was having an equally hard time, alone in a small apartment that the McCoy's were paying for. Hank knew that as much as Logan  _ adored _ his program and everything he was learning and all the work he was getting to do, he was lonely. He heard it in Logan's voice when they talked on the phone and saw it in his eyes when they got to video chat. He wouldn't  _ say _ it, 'cause he had this whole thing about seeming “strong”, but Hank knew him.

They were struggling, both of them. But Logan was home for a week and that... Hank had to tell himself that it was going to be okay. They had these next few days, and then Logan would be gone again, but the distance wouldn't be forever, not like they were. Hank had been in love with Logan for twelve years, that wasn't going to change just because they weren't in the same state. Reaching up for his wrist, he ran his thumb over the leather band he'd been wearing for ten of those years, a gift from an eight-year-old Logan who was too serious for his age and was equally convinced they were going to be in love forever. His bracelet had recently been fixed up, a gift before Logan left, and now his initials were engraved in the underside of the leather and it was secured with a gleaming silver clasp.

Sighing to himself, Hank shook his head and pushed himself from the kitchen and climbed up the stairs tiredly, his steps heavy as he slugged his way to his bedroom. The door was already open and his blinds were up to let the afternoon sun stream into his room. Leaning against his doorway, Hank allowed himself a few minutes to just  _ look. _ Logan was sitting on his bed, curled up in the corner with a book in hand. The sun was shining on him directly, glowing against his cheekbones, the bridge of his nose, making his dark hair shine with red highlights.

He was  _ gorgeous, _ and Hank had missed him so badly it'd ached.

Not waiting another second, Hank climbed onto his bed and cuddled into Logan's side. He looked at the book Logan was reading curiously, trying to get an idea of what it was about from the pages he could see. He didn't comment on what a strange sight it was, coming home to find Logan  _ reading, _ willingly, but a smile curled up his lips when he kissed Logan's jaw and felt his stubble scrape over his lips. From what he could see, it was a book on motorcycles and how they worked, and that drew a wider smile across Hank's lips even as he kept them pressed to Logan's jaw.

“The beard is a good choice,” Hank told him, not moving away and letting his lips brush against the stubbly hair, “I like it. Keep up the good work.”

Logan laughed deeply, getting his hand wrapped around Hank's waist to tug him even closer, so close that he was half-way in Logan's lap as he curled his legs up. “Thank you, baby. I grew it myself.”

“Mm, good job,” Hank told him, letting his eyes fall closed as he relaxed into Logan's familiar warmth, his entire body going loose in Logan's arms. Resting his head against Logan's shoulder, he shifted until his nose was tucked against the hollow of his throat, taking a deep breath and letting Logan's familiar scent wash over him and fill his senses.

“'Fore I forget,” he mumbled sleepily, words heavy and slow, “we're going to a party tonight.”

“That so, pretty boy?” Logan asked, fingers slipping under his shirt and pressing against his skin. Hank made a happy noise at the warm touch and nodded, making another, happier nose when he felt Logan's lips brush against his forehead, 'fore sleep pulled him under.

* * *

“Holy shit he's  _ real?!” _ Alex's voice echoed through Warren's grand hall, reverberating through the large, empty room and out into the cool night air.

Hank, who had just rung the doorbell and was standing on Warren's expansive front step, growled lowly before turning around and pushing at Logan's chest to get him to turn as well as he said, “We're leaving,” while dismissing Alex without saying a single word.

Logan nodded and thankfully didn't ask, just started walking down the steps without a single moment of hesitation or an utter of protest. Hank fell into step beside him, grabbing Logan's hand and twining their fingers together tightly in an effort to ground himself. Alex's relentless teasing about Hank's  _ “imaginary boyfriend” _ had been going on for a decade and after not seeing Logan for an entire  _ seven weeks, _ he wasn't in the mood to deal with it tonight when he could be at home, alone, having Logan all to himself.

Logan made a questioning noise once they'd made it down the three long steps and onto the sprawling driveway, no doubt able to  _ smell _ the anger that must've been rolling off Hank in waves. He said nothing in answer, shaking his head and bussing a kiss to Logan's shoulder as they walked quickly, tugging him to where they'd parked Logan's car at the end of the ridiculously long driveway. The last thing he wanted was to ruin their night by getting Logan worked up.

“Hank! Wait!” Darwin came running down the steps after them, Charles' chair floating after him with Erik leisurely strolling behind. When Darwin caught up with them he gave Hank an apologetic smile, but still scanned his eyes up and down Logan's frame like he didn't believe what he was seeing. “He didn't mean it.”

“Yes he did,” Hank growled, unable to keep the canine edge from bleeding into his voice as his frustration ebbed.

_ Ten years _ they'd all been teasing him about this, and whether it was Alex blatantly accusing him of making up a boyfriend just because no one in their group had ever met him, or the rest of them staying silent and not even bothering to stand up for him, Hank was done with all of it.

Charles rolled up to them and an artificial calm washed over Hank at the same time as Logan growled, “Stay the fuck outta my head, Chuck.”

“You know who I am?” Charles asked with a confused expression on his face that made Hank want to sigh. 

“M’not a fuckin’ idiot. Guy in a chair who’s readin’ my mind without askin’? You’ve all been friends with Hank for a decade, no shit I know who you are,” Logan snapped.

Charles' cheeks flushed red as Erik stepped forward menacingly. Logan rolled his eyes and cracked his neck, and Hank turned into his side and slipped his fingers out of Logan's grip to wrap an arm around his back and pull him, lightly, into his side. He gave Erik an unimpressed look and raised an eyebrow, before asking the others, “What do you guys want?”

Silence reigned for a moment, and then Darwin offered, “For you to stay?”

Hank scoffed and said, “Why would I want to stay with a group of people who've told me, for ten years, that my boyfriend isn't real?”

“Wait, what?” Logan asked, looking at Hank with a frown and an expression on his face that Hank didn't like. “The hell are you talkin' about, blue?”

“Later,” he said quietly, moving forward to give him a sweet kiss and squeezing his hip. Logan nodded, drawing the kiss out for another second before letting Hank move back. When he finally did, he looked back at the three watching him to find them all staring with wide eyes. “Seriously?”

Charles and Darwin had the decency to drop their eyes while all Erik did was continue to look unimpressed. Hank rolled his eyes and was about to turn back around, but then Erik said, “Why would any of us have believed you?”

Logan growled lowly, a deeper noise than Hank would ever let out, and Hank grabbed Logan's forearm to keep them both steady.

“It's not that we didn't  _ want  _ to believe you,” Charles started, but trailed off into nothing when he no doubt realized there wasn't anything for him to add.

“You just didn't,” Hank stated. Saying it, putting truth to the doubt he'd faced from all of his friends for  _ years, _ hurt more than he'd been expecting.

Hank blinked quickly, feeling absolutely ridiculous when his eyes started to burn with emotion. This wasn't something new, and it was something he'd dealt with for as long as he and Logan had been together, but he was still tired from the night before and his nap after school had been short, since he'd woken up to cook dinner alongside Logan. He was probably only getting so emotional because he was exhausted, or because of how many times over the last few weeks where he'd wanted to complain about how much he missed his boyfriend but bit the words down because he'd  _ known _ they would only lead to someone making fun of him.

Now, he was just ready to go home. Just as turned to finally walk away he felt his body lock up as a cool presence slithered into his mind.

“Boys,” Emma called, sauntering up to them in an outfit that  _ technically _ qualified as clothing but was, in Hank's opinion, closer to undergarments than anything else. “Is that testosterone I smell? Let’s all calm down, yes?”

And then, Emma walked up to Logan and threw her arms around his neck. Hank rolled his eyes as Logan's hands hovered over her sides with a frown on his face that had Hank laughing. He slid his hand down Logan's arm to hold his hand again, keeping close to Logan's side even as Emma pressed herself tightly against Logan's front in what looked like a firm hug. Finally, Logan hugged her back with one arm as he asked, “What the hell is with all the skin?”

“My girlfriend likes it,” Emma sassed, finally pulling back with her eyes smiling warmly even as her lips stayed in a serene-looking grin. She turned to Hank with a sympathetic look, brushing against his mind comfortingly. “Come on, Hank. Peter and Kurt are trying to seduce Warren and so far it's hilarious. You don't want to miss out on that.”

Hank's eyes widened, his mouth dropping open in surprise as he replayed Emma's words as he tried to get them to make  _ any _ lick of sense. “Raven’s friends?” Hank asked for clarification when the words still did not compute. 

Emma helpfully placed a memory into Hank's mind of a blue kid stuttering through asking Warren to dance while some guy with white hair watched on with excitement rolling off him so loudly Emma had to focus on her shields to keep his emotions out.

“You're serious?” Hank asked, disbelieving. 

“Sugar, I wouldn’t ever joke about a train wreck that large,” Emma told him, her smile evening out into something soft. “Come. Angel wants to see you.”

Hank rolled his eyes, but he finally let a smile crawl over his own face as well. Emma was a bitch, and she had spent  _ years _ not saying anything when she could have, but she also loved drama of any kind. He wasn’t surprised that she let it unfold, and he was even less surprised when her mind brushed over his softly in apology. 

Rolling his eyes at his best friend’s dramatics, Hank turned away from here and looking at his boyfriend. Logan was watching him with a frown marring his face, and he knew there was a conversation they were going to have when they got him, so he pressed in for a kiss and let Logan tug him against his frame, no doubt erasing Emma’s scent to cover himself back with Hank’s. 

And Hank  _ certainly _ wasn’t going to complain, so he looped his arms around Logan’s neck and kissed him back, carding his fingers softly through his hair as their lips moved together easily. “C’mon, we can cuddle on one of Warren’s bed-sized couches,” Hank said against his lips, laughing when Logan squeezed a handful of his ass and growled at him. 

“Should’ve mentioned that at the beginnin’ and we’d already be inside doin’ just that, baby,” Logan told him, grinning as he nipped Hank’s bottom lip. Hank laughed, feeling uncharacteristically carefree, a feeling he  _ only _ felt around Logan, and twined their fingers together before he started making his way back up the driveway, following after Emma. “Emma, you got any snacks in there?”

Emma’s twinkling laugh floated back to them, and Hank’s lips twisted into an easy smile as he felt Logan press up against his back. He didn’t care that Alex was inside and was bound to say something  _ stupid, _ because Logan was with him,  _ finally, _ and nothing mattered more than the time they were getting to spend together. 

**Author's Note:**

> i have a few other lil fics planned out in the back of my mind, but please let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in this verse!!
> 
> come say hi to me on [tumblr](https://lavender-lotion.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> kudos are much appreciated, but things have been really difficult lately, and a comment, as short and sweet or as sprawling and sporadic as you can manage, would be _greatly_ appreciated! 
> 
> i run an x-men discord server! check it out [here!](https://discord.gg/3uG3VNP)


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